Juno News - June 17, 2025


Khalistani protesters in Calgary chant "kill Modi"


Episode Stats


Length

13 minutes

Words per minute

154.59326

Word count

2,048

Sentence count

110

Harmful content

Hate speech

1

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Trump says a trade deal can be reached with Canadian PM Mark Kearney within days, a man who killed two people and injured three while driving high on meth was released on bail, and Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi visits Canada for the G7 Summit.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
00:00:00.000 U.S. President Donald Trump says that he believes a trade deal can be worked out with Prime
00:00:10.220 Minister Mark Carney in the coming days. Kalistani protesters assembled in downtown
00:00:15.040 Calgary to chant, Kill Modi, protesting the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Canada for
00:00:19.740 the G7 summit. A man who killed two people and injured three while driving high on meth
00:00:25.260 was released on bail. Hello Canada, it's Tuesday, June 17th, and this is the True North Daily Brief.
00:00:32.100 I'm Cosman Georgia. And I'm Jeff Knight. We've got you covered with all the news you need to know.
00:00:37.660 Let's discuss the top stories of the day and the True North exclusives you won't hear anywhere else.
00:00:45.460 U.S. President Donald Trump believes a trade deal with Prime Minister Mark Carney could be reached
00:00:50.740 within days as the two met at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. Trump was asked why the
00:00:58.120 Canada-U.S. trade dispute has endured for so long, to which he replied that he and Carney had different
00:01:03.620 concepts with Trump's being a, quote, tariff concept. Trump told reporters, quote, Mark has a different
00:01:11.160 concept, which is something that some people like, but we're going to see if we can get to the bottom
00:01:16.660 of it today. I'm a tariff person. I've always been a tariff person. It's simple, it's easy, it's precise,
00:01:23.460 and it just goes very quickly. The U.S. President said he thought a deal could be reached, quote,
00:01:29.240 within days, but that both parties would have to agree. Our primary focus will be trade and trade
00:01:34.960 with Canada, and I'm sure we can work something out. Yeah, very good. Thank you very much.
00:01:39.660 Thank you very much. Mr. President, what is holding up a deal with Canada from your perspective?
00:01:53.340 It's not so much holding up. I think we have different concepts. I have a tariff concept.
00:01:58.040 Mark has a different concept, which is something that some people like, but we're going to see if we can get
00:02:04.560 to the bottom of it today. I'm a tariff person. I've always been a tariff. It's simple, it's easy,
00:02:11.040 it's precise, and it just goes very quickly. And I think Mark has a more complex idea, but also very
00:02:20.500 good. So we're going to look at both, and we're going to see what, we're going to come out with
00:02:24.340 something, hopefully. Mr. President, do you think a deal is achievable within days, within weeks? Is there that
00:02:31.600 kind of runway? Yeah, it's achievable. Both parties have to agree. However, Trump appeared
00:02:37.520 more preoccupied with the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was removed from
00:02:42.860 the group 11 years ago. Russia was suspended indefinitely following the annexation of Crimea
00:02:49.040 in 2014, resulting in the political forum's name being reverted from G8 to G7. Media questions then
00:02:57.920 waded into the Iran-Israel conflict and U.S. deportations before Kearney ended the press
00:03:04.440 conference. The meeting marks the first time the pair have met in person since May, when Kearney
00:03:10.380 visited the White House in Washington, D.C. Government officials previously told the media about secret
00:03:16.940 discussions between the two leaders and top cabinet ministers earlier this month. Government sources said
00:03:23.300 the two have been trying to resolve tariff relations behind closed doors to ensure the best possible
00:03:29.180 scenario, with many of Canada's retaliatory tariffs being removed in April. So it's some positive news
00:03:36.800 that there seems to be development in the trade tariff discussions, but whether the trade deal that
00:03:45.900 emerges out of this process is actually beneficial to Canada or not is yet to be seen.
00:03:53.000 And I'm sure the Kearney government is hoping that the outcome will be seen as a beneficial one
00:04:01.760 when they essentially campaign for re-election on the slogan of elbows up with regards to the United
00:04:08.160 States. But what might that look like, Jeff? What has to be in this trade deal for Prime Minister Mark
00:04:15.380 Kearney, in particular with the renegotiation of the USMCA, for it to be considered a success for
00:04:22.960 the Liberal government? Yeah, Cosman. Well, there's several key elements that must be included in the deal.
00:04:27.720 First, Kearney needs a significant rollback of the US's 25% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, which have
00:04:33.580 disrupted exports and cost the industry an estimated $2 billion monthly. Restoring tariff-free access for these
00:04:39.460 critical sectors would stabilize manufacturing jobs, particularly in Ontario and Quebec, where plants like Honda's
00:04:45.160 Alliston facility have faced production shifts. Secondly, the deal must secure exemptions or
00:04:50.200 reduced tariffs on Canadian energy exports, especially oil and gas, to diversify markets
00:04:55.080 beyond the US, where 97% of Canada's oil currently goes. This would align with Kearney's pivot to Asia,
00:05:00.920 as Alberta Premier Daniel Smith has pushed for pipelines to access higher-priced Asian markets,
00:05:05.400 potentially adding $5 to $10 per barrel to Canadian oil. Third, successful renegotiation should include
00:05:11.020 provisions to protect Canada's auto sector, ensuring that the 50% ZEV mandate by 2030 isn't undermined by
00:05:17.020 US tariffs, which have already prompted Stellantis and Ford to shift operations south. Finally,
00:05:22.220 Kearney must secure a commitment to avoid future unilateral tariff hikes, providing long-term
00:05:27.020 predictability amid Trump's tariff concept preference, which Kearney has resisted. Without these elements,
00:05:32.380 tariff relief, energy market access, auto sector stability, and trade security, the deal risks being seen
00:05:37.900 as a concession to Trump's approach rather than a win for Canada's economic resilience.
00:05:45.020 Chants of Kill Modi rang out in downtown Calgary as Calistan's separatist activists gathered to
00:05:50.380 protest Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi's visit to Canada for the G7 summit. The demonstration has
00:05:55.740 sparked alarm over the violent rhetoric directed at a democratically elected foreign leader on Canadian
00:06:00.540 soil by proponents of a movement that has a history of politically motivated terrorist attacks
00:06:05.420 and assassinations. Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to attempt to mend Canada-India relations
00:06:10.700 by inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 has spurred protests from Canada's
00:06:16.060 Calistan separatists in various locations. Around 50 Calistan protesters descended on Calgary in a
00:06:21.980 convoy to protest Modi and to advocate for a referendum to allow a new Sikh-majority country
00:06:27.180 to be carved out of India. Juno News' Kian Beksti was on the scene as activists descended on Calgary
00:06:32.460 City Hall, where protesters could be heard chanting, quote, Kill Modi, followed by, quote, Politics.
00:06:37.900 Calistan supporters protested Modi's arrival, promoting the event with signs featuring crosshairs
00:06:42.700 over the face of the democratically elected leader of India, who was invited as a guest to Canada.
00:06:47.580 Other chants included Boycott Air India. According to Moka Bzergin, an independent journalist,
00:06:53.020 others chanted, quote, Parmar's ideology is ours to guide, a reference to a Sikh activist accused of
00:06:59.500 taking part in the Montreal Air India bombings in 1985. Sikhs for Justice, the group that organized
00:07:05.740 the, quote, unquote, peaceful demonstration, told True North the planned 48-hour rally was called
00:07:11.260 Ambush Modi Politics. The RCMP did not respond to True North's request for comment. The organizers,
00:07:17.180 Sikhs for Justice, are a group banned in India. Girpatwant Singh Panin, listed as a terrorist by
00:07:22.700 the Indian government and general counsel for the SFJ, told True North that the protests would
00:07:27.580 remain peaceful, but called for accountability for the alleged assassination of Hardeep Singh Najjar.
00:07:33.020 India-Canada relations have been strained since former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the
00:07:37.340 Indian government of assassinating Najjar too. The Indian government did not respond to True North's
00:07:42.460 requests for comment. So, Cosmin, how do these protests affect Prime Minister Karni's effort to mend
00:07:47.500 relations with India? Well, primarily it looks awful on the international stage when we're hosting a 1.00
00:07:54.540 bunch of different world leaders at the G7 summit in Alberta and these inter-ethnic conflicts play out
00:08:02.860 on Canadian streets and it's all over social media. I am sure the news, the legacy media is doing its best
00:08:11.180 to bury it, but it just goes to show how low we have fallen and it's a testament to what radical and
00:08:19.900 mass immigration policies have produced in this country where people are emboldened to go out on
00:08:27.500 the streets and, you know, tongue-in-cheek call for the killing, proverbial killing, of people they disagree
00:08:36.380 with in their own home country. And it's not the first time the Khalistan movement has had a long
00:08:42.540 history of radical statements, demands, and protests. It goes all the way back here in British Columbia.
00:08:51.020 There were parades annually in Surrey in the past years where they had floats glorifying the terrorists
00:08:59.900 on the Air India bombing attack, which remains the largest terrorist attack perpetrated in Canadian
00:09:07.340 history. And to this day, essentially, the RCMP and federal government have not done anything to
00:09:15.100 condemn or crack down on this growing separatist movement within Canada. And they're becoming more
00:09:23.660 emboldened each and every single year. A man accused of killing two people and injuring three others
00:09:34.060 in a deadly meth-induced dangerous driving incident was granted bail on Wednesday. A Vancouver Provincial
00:09:41.340 Court judge ruled on June 12th that Chai Sun Park, the accused in a motor vehicle accident that caused the
00:09:49.420 deaths of two people and injured three others while he was allegedly driving under the influence of
00:09:54.860 methamphetamine, should be released on bail. Chai Sun Park 35 faces 15 charges related to the accident,
00:10:01.980 which occurred last February. RCMP said at the time that an eastbound vehicle was stopped on the
00:10:07.980 side of the highway when it was struck by an SUV between 3.30 a.m. and 3.45 a.m. with the SUV presumably driven
00:10:15.820 by Park. According to police, one person was already dead when they arrived on the scene and two others
00:10:21.980 were taken to the hospital in critical condition with one later passing away. The deadly accident
00:10:27.980 claimed the lives of Mursal Arifi and Jenna Hepperly. Park is charged with two counts of dangerous driving
00:10:35.580 causing death along with 13 other charges including five counts of driving while on methamphetamine
00:10:41.820 causing either death or bodily injury. The charges were sworn on June 9th and Park appeared before
00:10:47.660 Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Susanna Sanga for a bail hearing. Park, who was not in custody prior to
00:10:54.620 the hearing, was released without any financial bail obligation. The details of why he was provided bail
00:11:00.780 are covered by a standard publication ban. Jeff, this amounts to essentially a slap on the wrist for this
00:11:08.540 individual suspected to be responsible for the deaths of two people to the justice system's ability
00:11:15.500 to protect the community at large. Yeah, releasing Chi Sun Park on bail definitely endangers the
00:11:22.300 Vancouver community given the severity of the charges and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
00:11:27.100 Park faces 15 charges including two counts of dangerous driving causing death and five counts of
00:11:32.380 driving while on methamphetamine causing death. The RCMP reported that the accident occurred when Park
00:11:37.100 allegedly struck a stopped vehicle on Highway 1 while under the influence, suggesting a reckless
00:11:41.740 disregard for safety that could certainly recur if he drives again. His release without financial
00:11:46.300 bail on June 12th, despite not being in custody prior, raises concerns about insufficient measures to
00:11:51.340 prevent further risk, especially since methamphetamine impairment is known to impair judgment and reaction
00:11:56.700 time, contributing to over 3,500 drug impaired driving incidents in Canada in 2017 alone. The lack of
00:12:03.740 transparency due to the publication ban on bail details amplifies community fears as it leaves
00:12:08.620 residents uncertain about safeguards like monitoring or restrictions on driving. Vancouver's proximity
00:12:13.660 to major highways and its dense population means any repeat incident could have devastating consequences,
00:12:18.940 particularly given the city's history of traffic-related fatalities with 42 deaths reported in 2024.
00:12:25.420 The decision to grant bail, even if based on legal technicalities like Park's prior freedom,
00:12:30.060 overlooks the potential for ongoing substance abuse or mental health issues, which studies linked to
00:12:34.780 a 50% recidivism rate for drug impaired drivers within five years, according to a 2020 Canadian
00:12:40.380 Centre on Substance Use and Addiction report. Without strict conditions, such as mandatory sobriety
00:12:45.100 checks or house arrest, this release could expose the community to a heightened and preventable danger.
00:12:52.940 That's it for today, folks. Thanks for tuning in. You can stay on top of new episodes every weekday by
00:12:58.540 subscribing to The Daily Brief on iTunes and Spotify. Also, while you're at it,
00:13:03.100 make sure to hit us with a five-star rating and please leave a review.